Rotary Supports New Dawn Guest Home

For several years, the Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club has supported the New Dawn Guest Home for persons with physical and intellectual disabilities. As the Rotary’s Community Service Committee project-of-choice, the Rotarians continually seek out opportunities to bring joy to the lives of residents.

Members of the Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club of Sydney enjoy the completed gazebo at New Dawn Guest Home, which was built by students in Jim Swayne's carpentry students at Marconi Campus. In the photo from left to right: Ian Doyle, Bill MacNeil, Phil Thompson, Ray MacNeil, Linda Crockett, Laura Gallant, Terry Miller, Brian Beckett and Mike Muise (July 2017)Special Thanks to Gillis Building Supplies, Sydney River

The New Dawn Home is located on an the radar base. The building is great, but there’s really nothing outside for the residents,” says Linda Crockett, Sydney Sunrise Rotary Club, project coordinator. “We wanted to give them a place to sit and enjoy the weather and spend some time in the sunshine. NSCC was my first call.”

Jim says the call from Crockett was timely.

“When Linda contacted us to see if we could provide assistance with the build, it couldn’t have come at a better time,” says Jim. “At that point, my students were working on roofing and exterior finish.” As community-based projects must align with the curriculum, the gazebo offered students both a learning and difference-making opportunity.

Local company Gillis Building Supplies also joined in and delivered the finished gazebo to New Dawn Home, saving the Rotary Club on delivery costs. The sturdy, wooden structure was installed at New Dawn Home in early November, and has been a welcome addition.”

“We are very thankful for all who participated in making this project possible,” says Linda MacDougall, administrator, guest home and home living, New Dawn Home. “For our residents—some who are visually impaired—functions outside during warmer weather meant gathering under our front entrance, which is not large enough to accommodate everyone. The gazebo will not only help with that, it will encourage residents to become more independent and spend more time outdoors.”

Linda Crockett says that the project worked out better than she could have planned, and credits the students at NSCC. “The thing that pleased me the most through this whole thing was that the students were as thrilled to work on this project as we were to have them. It worked out beautifully.”